Has anybody had a pre-med before a general anesthetic?

I've had two, but both were over ten years ago. The first one i have no memory of anything after taking it. The second time i remember going to the nurses station and messing around with the supplies or something. My brother said i acted like a complete jerk and he was really embarrassed for me. Therefore, i'm not sure what else i did, and i don't really want to know, to be honest.

Anyway, i'm having another general anesthetic next month and the surgeon says the pre-med is not optional, as you need to have it to lower your blood pressure. I'm just a bit worried about not being in control of my actions in the time after taking the pre-med. Has anyone had a pre-med and done anything stupid?

I'm just dreading coming around after the operation and getting weird looks from the nurses, because i've done something dreadful during the pre-med time.

The one that makes you not remember anything is called Versed. Great drug. Other meds they may give you are antiemetics (to keep you from getting nauseated post surgery, ativan (calms the nerves), and possibly something to dry secretions.

Versed is essentially an ultra-short acting drug in the same family as valium, usually used for things like colonoscopies because it wears off quickly. I doubt it would make you act stupid as it usually just puts you to sleep. But the secretion-dryers Steve mentions are sometimes anticholinergics, which can cause confusion. But I can't understand why they're giving you something to lower your blood pressure unless your BP is usually high, or it's pretty involved surgery with risk of a fair amount of bleeding.

Thanks for the responses. I realise this probably isn't the best place for a thread like this.

I just figured a pre-med was a standard thing for every surgery, to calm you down. I think you're right in that the drugs don't make you behave badly, but they make you feel very drunk, and lose all your inhibitions, and ability to remember your actions. The problem is for me that i've never been drunk because alcohol makes me feel sick very quickly.

So i think the issue is really that i'm a bit of a tool, and i'm unable to pretend otherwise when i'm drugged up! If you're a normal person, you probably behave ok after having a pre-med.

The surgery itself is a heart valve replacement, so i guess that's why the pre-med is compulsory, as it could get a bit messy if your blood pressure is high!

Usually you'll receive a "pre-med" (at least what I think you're thinking of) minutes before they roll you in the OR, so peak effect hits when they push induction meds.

Unless you arrive early enough and you're visibly nervous. You could just ask your surgeon for Valium to take a few hours before you are suppose to arrive at the hospital, though you'll want to make sure the Department of Canceling Surgery is okay with that, even if your surgeon is.

Don't worry about embarrassing yourself. Usually benzos and the like will sedate you and you'll begin to drift off.